Front License Plate Violations in the South Bay

Got the Bug · #1 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 02:07 PM

Both my brothers who live in Southern California told me about the chicken shix fix-it tickets the cops have been issuing in SoCal. Well, it sounds like the revenue generating scheme in migrating North to San Jose.

I read this in the Action Line column in the SJ Mercury the other day.

"Recently I was filling up my vehicle at a gas station on Blossom Hill Road near Harwood Road on the Los Gatos border. I observed about half dozen San Jose police officers pulling over drivers for not having a front license plate. They pulled over at least four while I was getting gasoline. As I was leaving the gas station I was pulled over for not having a front plate."

http://www.mercurynews.com/action-li...ercurynews.com

Bernica · #2 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 02:29 PM

Your Brothers are right about SoCal Can't speack for the Bay Area, but down here they use it alot. If you park your car in any of our regional airports (LAX, Ontario etc) and don't have a front plate, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a fix-it ticket on your windshield when you return from your trip. I have accumulated quite a few on my Lexus and need to go by the dealership to get a front bracket. Now, if their records show more than a few, they just throw a boot on your car. Nice thing to come back home to, especially if you're coming home on a red-eye flight! As me how I know!!

Zoom This · #3 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 04:47 PM

Those guys can write fixit tickets til they drop dead. Damned if I ever put a front plate on a Cobra. Got stopped 2 weeks ago for no plate on my 95 Miata. I told the cop I haven't had a plate on any of my cars in 15 years and he was visibily shocked that it had been so long without getting stopped. He let me go with a modest warning.

rustyBob · #4 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 06:47 PM

what would they say if you told them your front plate was on the back where it was easier to see......

Got the Bug · #5 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 07:28 PM

I've also heard about people getting tickets for backing in to parking places in Southern California. This is madness!! There's real crime to fight, yet police officers are being given their marching orders to focus their efforts on this nonsense.

csx wnab · #6 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 10:04 PM

that is f%$#King bulls%^t!!!!!!!!!i am sorry to hear about that doug. good to see you this weekend. how about we tape our drivers licence to the front of the radiator?

wanab5150 · #7 (**permalink**) 08-29-2010, 10:33 PM

The purpose for stopping cars with no front plate has nothing to do with actually having a front plate. This process has long been in effect to use as probable cause for stopping cars for other purposes such as, unlicensed drivers, no insurance, warrants, searches, etc. It's more effective than you can believe. Also, like "Zoom This" said...he was let go. Why? because he can be stopped again any time another feels he needs to.

The Airport Cops are board and are one step above a security guard ....but are still probably ordered to cite violations in the parking lot.

That all being said, my Cobra has NO front plate and 3 inch Chambered exhaust and if I get cited then that's the way it is. I'm always looking over my shoulder.

PANAVIA · #8 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 12:26 AM

This also stems from the reduced property tax collections in San Jose, - when everyone went and revalued their property taxes , the city and county obtained less revenue.

The revenue has to come from somewhere , and this is just one way.

also , they are probably ramping up for the video cameras at each intersection for automated speeding and red light tickets. easier to cite people if they have a front and a back plate available.

I think we need to take back sacremento ,trouble is there is no decent candidate for gov.

Steve

rustyBob · #9 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 09:18 AM

I'm not hijacking this thread........
i just spent 3 weeks in Sacramento with family and i saw a story on the local news there that, if you get into an accident in Sacramento county and you are not a resident of Sacrament county then you will be getting a fine for getting into an accident in Sacramento county......the city council passed this.....tell me its not about the money...now that the city has passed this you will probably be getting fined for breathing in Sacramento county......and yes i have been pulled over in Sacramento county for not haveing a front plate but never got a fine for it....

tnlprt · #10 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 09:33 AM

I am with the rest of you
I feel the cops should cease and desist from enforcing all the laws
that I choose to knowingly break

After all it is in the name of vanity that I choose to not run a front plate

seriously why not just make a bracket with a hinge and mount a plate inside the nose

Got the Bug · #11 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyBob

I'm not hijacking this thread........
i just spent 3 weeks in Sacramento with family and i saw a story on the local news there that, if you get into an accident in Sacramento county and you are not a resident of Sacrament county then you will be getting a fine for getting into an accident in Sacramento county......the city council passed this.....tell me its not about the money...now that the city has passed this you will probably be getting fined for breathing in Sacramento county......and yes i have been pulled over in Sacramento county for not haveing a front plate but never got a fine for it....

Huntington Beach just enacted a similar law regarding accidents and accident clean up costs.

Zoom This · #12 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyBob

what would they say if you told them your front plate was on the back where it was easier to see......

LOL. Now that's funny. It'd be my luck to be told to get out of the car and put my hands on the hood.

PANAVIA · #13 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 11:23 AM

I urge all of you to act in your areas to stop them. -- be a civic pain in the ass. -- they are just going after money --

wanab5150 · #14 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 11:42 AM

Yep, the camera's are coming. I am a Photographer of sorts ( more like a retired photographer) and read reviews on Cameras all over the net. Seems that Nikon with a big buck lens is being used in Arizona.

Arizona has little trailers along the highway ( not just at intersections) that take a shot when you're over the limit by 10 mph. they have a strong flash unit that goes off so you know you've been had.

I know because I got a perfectly clear high quality family portrait of my wife and I and my Tahoe going 70 or so. It's crystal clear....I should have waived but it was too late. We saw 5 of them between the Ariz. boarder out of Vegas and Phoenix. We got lucky 4 out of 5 times...We should have gone back to Vegas!

This will probably show up in California soon

RodKnock · #15 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 11:51 AM

They don't have a front license plate either:

rustyBob · #16 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 07:37 PM

Hey .....thats me ...the one on the left with the head band.............

Great Asp · #17 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnlprt

I am with the rest of you
I feel the cops should cease and desist from enforcing all the laws
that I choose to knowingly break

After all it is in the name of vanity that I choose to not run a front plate

seriously why not just make a bracket with a hinge and mount a plate inside the nose

But they are not enforcing laws, they are collecting taxes because you do not already pay enough.

Jay walking is next, since tax collection from seat belt violations is down.

Good Luck!

E

rustyBob · #18 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 08:07 PM

Just think of how much money the state of California is going to collect when the start taxing medical marijuana.....billions.

ratsnst1 · #19 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 08:37 PM

There not fix it tickets anymore they havnt been for a few years now, same with having your side front door windows tinted, not a fix it ticket.

wanab5150 · #20 (**permalink**) 08-30-2010, 09:37 PM

Yeah, no front plates usually carry an administrative fee...feels the same as a fine. Tinted windows (more than the manufacturer) has not been a fix-it cite for at least 20 years and carries a fixed fine plus an admin fee for the city.

A Cobra is a rolling violation. Everyone I've heard qualifies for excessive noise, lower than legal (some part of the frame of item lower than the bottom of the wheel rim), the no front plate issue, and others I can't think of right now.

Cops usually give the thumbs up but believe me, they know how much damage they could do if you piss them off. They let you go usually with a warning but could rake you over the coals if they want to.

If you want to be pissed about something , be pissed at City and State Government, not the cops. None of you families would be safe without them.